Kris Ajer admits 'nothing better' than Celtic's 'wee offside' winner against Rangers in 2019 final

Former Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer has claimed that there was “nothing better” than the fact his old club’s last League Cup final derby triumph in December 2019 was secured by a “wee offside goal” from Christopher Jullien.

The 1-0 triumph over Rangers came on an afternoon at Hampden wherein the Ibrox men pounded their out-of-form rivals, but were thwarted by an incredible goalkeeping display from Fraser Forster - who saved a penalty from Alfredo Morelos - for opponents reduced to 10 men as a result of Jeremie Frimpong being red-carded. The Norwegian international, speaking in a podcast with Celtic ahead of Scotland’s big two facing off again in the Viaplay Cup final, spoke fondly of his five years in Scotland, which ended when he moved to Brentford in a £13.5m deal in July 2021, and especially of a day when Celtic banked a League Cup victory that they had no right to claim.

“It was probably a horrific game to watch. It was a bit of a blur for me,” said the 24-year-old. “There was wind and rain in Glasgow, we had Jeremie Frimpong sent off but Fraser saved the penalty from Morelos, of course. We scored maybe a wee offside goal, which I loved… It was amazing. There’s nothing better. When Fraser had games like this there was no one better in the world. Even when Rangers got the penalty, I couldn’t see how they could possibly score. It’s probably crazy to say but I was quite calm because I knew he was going to save it because he was having the game of his life. He was like a wall to get through.

“It is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen live and I was lucky enough to watch it from so close. We could still be playing now and he would be saving everything. It was unbelievable. To have a missed penalty and an offside goal, it made a bad game very sweet.

Celtic's Kristoffer Ajer (left) and Christopher Jullien with the Betfred Cup trophy following the 1-0 win over Rangers in the 2019 final. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

“[Christopher’s goal led to] one of the coolest celebrations I’ve ever seen. That knee slide was just spot on. It was incredible to see half the stadium going crazy. It was just a group of players who lived in the moment and took every game at a time. Even at 1-0 and down to 10 men we knew we could still grind it out.”

Ajer, who said he still watches every Celtic game he can now and will be tuned in on Sunday - was a key member of the club’s quadruple treble-winning squad. He was the man who rubber-stamped that history-making run by scoring the decisive penalty in the shoot-out Scottish Cup success over Hearts, in the pandemic delayed 2020 final that was played at an empty Hampden in the covid campaign in December 2020. The absence of supporters impacts on how he feels about his nerveless penalty conversion. “That would have been the biggest moment of my career by far – if the fans were there,” he said. “It was fantastic to take the final penalty and score against Craigy [former Celtic team-mate Craig Gordon] but it was also bittersweet not having anyone in the stands.

[The cup finals that stand out] are the the 2-1 [Scottish Cup] win against Hearts [in May 2019], when Odsonne [Edouard] scored the winner to clinch the treble treble. That was amazing. Also, the first big one for me, against Motherwell on that sunny day when we had the open top bus through Glasgow [in May 2018 after clinching the double treble]. They were probably my one and two.”